A RAIDER broke into a Winsford house and rifled through personal belongings as the home-owners watched a crime drama on TV downstairs.

Elvis and Irene Presley only discovered their home had been raided once a 90-minute special of the popular cop show The Bill had finished.

During that time, the thief had forced open a bathroom window at their home in Finsbury Walk, searched their bedroom and escaped with cash, clothing, toiletries and chocolate which had been bought for a Christmas present.

Mr Presley, 58, said: 'Whoever it was even took three bars of soap -­ I suppose he wanted to make a clean getaway!

'It happened sometime between 8pm and 9.30pm, he must have known we were in the house, and it is not as if he waited until we were likely to be in bed.

'Whoever it was got in through a bathroom window, jimmied it open, probably with a screwdriver ­- so he had something he could have used as a weapon.

'He went into the bedroom and took new shirts which I had bought and went through the wife's bag, taking some cash.

'He also took aftershave and chocolate which had been bought for Christmas. All in all he got away with about £300 worth of stuff.

'All the time he was in the house we were downstairs. Usually one of us would have got up to make a cup of tea, but we were watching a Bill special.

'I have asthma and I had my nebuliser on which helps with my breathing, and is probably the reason why we didn't hear him.

'Whoever did it is lucky my son wasn't round -­ he is a karate expert.'

Mr Presley said the raider had left footprints behind in the bathroom which police scene-of-crime officers have examined.

A police spokesman confirmed officers from its Northwich-based burglary squad are investigating the crime.

He added: 'In a situation like this, protection and safety of the people involved is of paramount importance. Property can be replaced and we wouldn't advocate anyone putting themselves in any dangerous situation.

'We would advise people to call the police as soon as possible and under those circumstances to use the 999 emergency line.'

Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to call police on 48000 or the Crime-stoppers confidential helpline on 0800 555 111.